A number of approaches for passively characterizing connections between network entities have been proposed. One conventional approach compares one or more measured characteristics of the connection with corresponding theoretical baselines. A deviation from the baseline is used as a trigger for a router to impose a limit such as, for example, a restriction on a bandwidth available to the connection in order to restore a fair distribution of bandwidth to one or more further connections. The network entity initiates a response to the limit, and based on the response, the connection may be classified as “good” or “bad.” However, according to the conventional approach, a classification, and any adjustment made as a function thereof, is executed subsequent to imposition of the limit. Thus, a bad entity will have already had an impact on the further connections prior to the limit being imposed.